READY Leadership Seminars Prepare Campus Leaders for the Future

By Cynthia Moberly, News Editor

A brand new series of leadership seminars has been introduced to campus this semester. The READY Leadership Seminars are lead by Heather Tyner, Asbury’s Assistant Director for Student Leadership Development.

The acronym READY stands for Redemption and Renewal, Empowering Others, Authenticity, Developed Capacities, and Yoked with Christ. The content of each session is derived from this model, created by Paul Stephens, Asbury’s Associate Dean for Student Leadership Development.

According to Tyner, the seminars began first as a conversation in Student Development around the desire to have student leaders receiving practical, effective, and holistic leadership training that would prepare them for life at Asbury and after it.

“We wanted to offer something to all students, but target the students that work specifically alongside some of our Student Development staff, because it is these student leaders that, once they grow in knowledge and effectiveness, have an especially wide sphere of impact on their peers,” Tyner said.

The student response has been, according to Tyner, gracious and positive. Many of the attendees are campus leaders such as Residence Life Staff members and TAG Leaders.

Senior Quentin Carter who serves as the Assistant Resident Director of Trustees Hall said that he enjoys the relaxed sessions that often lead to open discussion. “The seminars seem to be providing some of the leaders on campus with better insight on how to effectively lead and what we can do as leaders to improve ourselves,” Carter said. “They do a really good job of tying in leadership, spirituality, and community.”

“My hope for this seminar is that it has thus far provided an opportunity for students to learn, grow, and be encouraged”

Several guest speakers have been featured at the seminars, including Sarah Baldwin, Asbury’s Vice President of Student Development & Dean of Students and Resident Directors Julia Hurlow and Quinn Gervel. Through their own wisdom and experiences, the speakers have collaborated with Tyner to express the individual parts of the READY acronym.

“What I hope is that those who have attended have had space set apart in their day to practice self-reflection, learn alongside their friends, and implement in their daily life some of the things we have discussed,” Tyner said. “My hope for this seminar is that it has thus far provided an opportunity for students to learn, grow, and be encouraged.”